


Really?

by AShippingAddict



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Getting Together, Healers, How are they so oblivious?, Not Canon Compliant, Padma is a great friend, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, alternative universe, the world may never know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-15 02:56:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13021779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AShippingAddict/pseuds/AShippingAddict
Summary: Honestly, she only had good intentions. In no way whatsoever did nudging Hermione to confess had anything to do with the betting pool. They just needed a push in the right direction.Or alternatively, the day Padma won the betting pool.





	Really?

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to take a moment to thank the lovely TheRottenJas for agreeing to beta this fic. Cuz it could've been worse. A lot worse.
> 
> Disclaimer: I clearly do not own Harry Potter and its respective characters.

Just when everything goes right some fools manage to blow up a potion. Hermione and Draco exchange exasperated glances. His gaze says it all: _Tell me about it, when will they learn._ She giggles in spite of herself. Waggling her brows, she raises a single brow.

He nods minutely, eyes shining with amusement.

Bursting into laughter, her workmates look up in confusion. Others smile knowingly, heads tilted towards Draco.

He, on the other hand, fondly shakes his head. She returns to her work; a smile gracing her face. She begins to hum.

"So, is it official?" Padma Patil leans over her cauldron, eyes alit with keen interest. Confusion colors Hermione’s expression, bringing her humming to a decided stop. "Are you dating Draco Malfoy?" Padma amusingly clarifies.

Her cheeks colored pink. "No, Padma. I’m not dating Draco."

She smiles. "Well then, hurry up and ask him out!"

"What?! No, I can't do that." Slightly scandalized, she waves her hands in front, the universal sign for no.

Padma’s lips pull into a small frown. "Why not?"

"I don't think he'll go out with me," she honestly responds, far too quickly. Upon realizing what she said she proceeds to clarify, "I mean, he’s Draco Malfoy. Why would he date me?"

"Hermione Granger," Padma slightly scolds, "Are you not one of the most respected Healers in Europe?" She waits for her to nod before continuing. "And didn't _Witch Weekly_ put you on the Top 10 Most Attractive Witches list?" More hesitant, she nods her head. "So according to outside sources, are you not smart and attractive? Anyone would be practically tripping over their feet to date you."

Sneaking a glance towards Draco, she observes how focused he was working on his potion. His hair gently flops over his eyes. With quick practiced motions he brushes it back impatiently. Smiling at his antics, she voices a quiet thought, "I should just ask him out?"

Padma rolls her eyes. "You two have practically been dating since your residency."

Eyes resembling an owl, she blurts out, “Excuse me?!”

"Seriously, you both are always having lunch together _alone._ Or going out with your friends, who are all couples."

"B-but we’re just hanging out."

"Not when you spend all your time together _alone_." Hermione isn’t used to being surprised. "Don't look now, but he’s staring at you with the most determined look on his face."

Hermione loses no time; they lock eyes. He aims a smile at her and she responds with a nervous smile. Confusion colors his face, he mouths something undecipherable. Hermione gives a slight shake, mouthing the words: _I don't understand_. He points at his watch and shows 5 fingers. Her eyes glint with understanding so she nods. Grinning, he returns to his potion.

"Practically married already," Padma deadpans. Hermione can’t help the butterflies that fill her stomach. _Maybe, we are meant to be._ "Where are you going to lunch today?" Padma grins knowingly.

"Did you see that?"

She nods. "As if it weren’t obvious. It’s cute how he does that to remind you every time. No one else would dare interfere."

Glancing at her wristwatch, she softly mutters, "Four minutes left."

"Of course.” Padma declares, “Just don’t forget to make me a bridesmaid at the wedding."

Those four minutes stretched impossibly long. Approaching Draco at the door, she greets him with a wide smile. “Fancy meeting you here.”

He cheekily responds, "Do come by here often?"

Hermione gathers her confidence before meeting Draco’s silver gaze. “I’m around here often enough for you to take me out on a date.”

Draco’s jaw drops. As the silence extends, Hermione feels her confidence shatter. Expression starting to fall, she takes a much needed step back.

At her movement, Draco rushes his words out. "Did you? Did you just flirt with me?"

Hermione gathers her courage once more. “Would you go on a date with me?”

With his face completely pink, he manages to ask, “Really?” Gaze affixed to the ground, “You want to go on a date with me?”

Eyes alight in fondness, Hermione’s smile could outshine the sun. ”Of course, I would love to go on a date with you.”

Meeting each other’s eyes, one could almost see the flowers blooming in the background as they slowly intertwined their hands. Padma, who had obviously been spying on them from across the room, walks up to them. “Are you two going to have your date now?”

Exchanging happy grins, Draco answers for them. “I’m taking her on a date. _A lunch date_.”

“So, tell me. Would you say you’re dating?”

Hermione side eyes Draco. “I don’t know _are_ we dating?” Draco, smiling, lifts up their hands. Placing a small kiss on the back of her hand, “Well, I’d be quite daft to not date a girl like you.”

“Really now? Well, isn’t that swell.” Padma smiles fondly at them. “It’s about time you two did something about that pinning. Half the hospital has your wedding planned out.” The blushing pair exchange embarrassed glances. “Personally, I was holding out for a drunken confession.”

Nervously laughing, “Thank goodness that didn’t happen.” Hermione takes out her wand. “It’s about time we take our lunch. We wouldn’t want to squander our time just standing about.”

“Sure thing, ‘Mione, we’ll talk later.” Hermione smiles one last time to Padma before apparating with Draco to who knows where. Padma excitedly grins. She runs back inside the potions room, nearly running over a young resident. “I have returned with news!”

“What now, Padma?”

Walking to the center of room, she exclaims, “Guess which two love birds will no longer be staring at each other from across the room all forlorn?”

“Shut up.”

“Stop lying. There’s no way those two thick-headed idiots have finally confessed.”

Feeling disgruntled, Padma glares at her coworkers. “Merlin’s pants, you lot don’t have any faith in them.”

They roar with laughter. “Padma, I’ve heard they been dancing around each other since their Hogwarts days. Can you blame us?”

Rolling her eyes, she admits, “Alright, you do have a point. But you must be aware that today marks the day, that those two finally started dating. You all know what that means.”

Groans filled the room, “Who won betting pool?”

“Take one guess.” Padma gleefully scans the room, waiting for the others to make the connection. (A loud popping noise is heard throughout the room, most people pay it no thought.) Some people still appear confused. “Me! I won the lot!”

Across the room, a potion on the verge of exploding makes huge gurgling noises, but the person standing over the cauldron is paying it no attention. For standing at the entrance, Hermione and Draco, can both be seen utterly baffled. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but did you lot bet on when we would get together?”

Laughing nervously, everyone in the room can’t meet their gaze. Padma, on the other hand, unrepentantly comments, “Sorry loves, but this was too entertaining to no partake in.” She winks at the pair. “Your date is on me.” Facing the rest of the room, she grins at them. “I better see my earning of this in my office later.”

**Author's Note:**

> I rewrote this entire fic. So if anyone over on fanfiction.net read it please forget about it CUZ IT LITERALLY IS SOOO MUCH BETTER NOW! LIKE I CAN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE HOW CRINGE IT WAS!! One of the changes was the whole 1st person POV to 3rd person POV. Another change was the ending. I was just unsatisfied with it. It didn't seem right. I literally added 500 words to this, I have no idea how that happened.


End file.
